Curzon Hall – Navarra Venues

As a disclaimer, I will state before my review that I did not purchase any services with Curzon Hall — but this review will help to explain why. As such I cannot comment on the majority of their services, but I can comment on what I think is the cornerstone of a successful business: CUSTOMER SERVICE.
In January of this year I was looking for a Reception venue for my wedding. I have the misfortune of being born to a small family, and as such only required a room for a maximum of 60 people. Through a Google search I encountered Curzon Hall and was impressed with what I saw. Their website boasted rooms seating as little as 15, and there was a room that would accomodate my intimate wedding. I contacted them to arrange an appointment. Out of the various venues I contacted, they were the first to get back to me to arrange an appointment.
I visited Curzon Hall mid-​January and was in awe of the place. It really should be called Curzon Castle, because that is exactly what it is. I haven’t always dreamed of a fairytale wedding, but I was drawn to this venue nonetheless. However it was shortly after my arrival that it all started to fall apart.
We were met by a sales representative and right off the bat I could tell that we weren’t the big customer he was hoping for. One of his first questions was, «So you’re having 60 guests? Do you think you’ll have any more?». I was blunt and advised that I wasn’t likely to have more guests than that. He then disregarded that fact and tried to upsell me a room that was designed for a minimum of 80 guests.
He showed us around the grounds with disinterest. He lamely pointed at each ceremony area and told us a bit about it with no real conviction. It made us feel like he’d already decided we either weren’t going to bring in enough money and we weren’t worthy of his time. He then showed us the room we enquired about, which didn’t seem all that appropriate for us, and then took us up to the 80+ pax room that we had no use for, and couldn’t possibly afford. But it was once we got up there that we realised why he’d shown us — it took up the entire top floor of the castle, included a wrap-​around balcony and Bridal suite, and was all for our exclusive use.
He then took us to his office and showed us prices, with the same level of disinterest that he’d shown us throughout the entire visit. The prices seemed average for Sydney Weddings. We were then sent on our way, and the whole experience left a very bad taste in our mouth.
During our visit we were promised an email that contained some pictures of the table decorations. A few days after we got a follow-​up email from the sales rep which stated how he enjoyed meeting and chatting with us, which contradicted his attitude and actions during our visit. The pictures didn’t really show us anything. In my response email, I attempted to arrange a second visit to show my mother the venue. I never received a response. I subsequently had to call Curzon Hall and confirm if I could visit again, to which their receptionist answered in the positive.
When we returned the second time, we advised them we did not need to meet with a salesperson. They agreed to take a look at the Curzon room unsupervised. I showed my mum the room we could afford and the ceremony areas and we made the quick decision of finding another venue. As we were leaving the premises we ran into the sales rep, who recognised us instantly, but did not greet us warmly or with interest. The decision we had just made had been solidified in a rather unfriendly exchange.
I believe that had things have been different and we were met with a bit of excitement, friendliness and INTEREST, we may have gone ahead with Curzon Hall. We would have found the money to book the Agincourt room and it may have been a dream wedding. But when a business’ main salesperson sees you as a dollar amount instead of an actual person, those dreams disappear very quickly. From the moment I met with him I felt as if I wasn’t worth his time; that we weren’t the big fish he wanted to catch. With the amount of competition for wedding venues, I would have thought that Curzon would have been a bit keener to obtain any kind of sale — our small wedding would have been a quick win for them. But more importantly than that, I expected that a wedding venue with such a strong reputation would know the value of schmoozing a potential client. And being from a customer service background, I know that the customer is KING. I didn’t even feel like the court jester in this case.

Hall? This place is a Castle.
Set on two acres of manicured lawns and lush gardens, this magnificent granite building oozes style, romance and history. I was a guest at a garden wedding here a month ago, followed by a reception on the same grounds. Sipping expensive wine in the lovely, open-​style terrace and dancing the evening away in one of the nine lavish ballrooms, I felt like a princess.
I could go on and on about how much I love this place but you’ll just have to see it for yourself. Savour the site at your leisure and take advantage of a fabulous photo opportunity.
It was a fairytale wedding fit for a couple who was just meant to be.

When I received the elaborately printed invitation to view Curzon House an event venue in Marsfield I was rather excited. Arriving at the venue at dusk I enjoyed that we were greeted at the gate by suited waiters with platters of champagne.
Curzon House is simply one word — elegant. Its sandstone presence with its square turret is a historical beauty. Inside there were so many rooms, ballrooms and places to explore and enjoy it was difficult to choose what was the showcase itself.
The original Curzon Hall was residential and it housed not only the mansion but a ballroom, stables, wine cellars and extensive gardens. It became a seminary for the Catholic church in the 1920’s as a chapel was constructed from the stone that was used in the stables.
In 1983 the property was purchased for commercial use and with years of renovation it has become of Sydney’s most unique event venues should you be considering a special occasion. It’s just worth a visit in itself to appreciate its grandeur.